The world has a plastic problem. In 2021, the German population alone accumulated 39.7 kg of plastic waste per capita. It is well known that not all of it can be recycled.
So the question arises, what alternatives are there to plastic packaging? We investigated this question and came across corrugated cardboard. In this article, you'll learn all about its advantages and possible applications.
Corrugated board packaging is a selling point
their carbon footprint.
Sustainable packaging is the order of the day. A resource-saving, recyclable wrapping raises the acceptance of your article. Packaging sustainability has become a purchasing argument. And that's why companies are now willing to invest in alternatives to plastic.
A look at corrugated board is particularly worthwhile. In 2019, the Society for Packaging Market Research (GVM) commissioned a study on the subject of corrugated board instead of plastic. In it, the experts calculated that corrugated board could replace one fifth of plastic packaging in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Expressed in figures: That is a plastic waste avoidance of 825,057 t! In the packaging industry alone, 75 percent of plastic waste could be saved.
The required corrugated material, according to the study, is already on the market or can be developed within the next three to five years.
At present, corrugated board solutions can replace 21 percent of all plastic packaging. And the trend is rising.
Use of corrugated board and plastic in the packaging industry
For decades, the packaging industry has relied on plastic as a material. It can be produced cheaply, is hygienic, keeps tight and serves numerous packaging purposes. Only recently have we become aware of the downsides of plastic: poor recycling rates, high resource consumption, problems with disposal.
Nevertheless, plastic is still used today for some packaging tasks.
indispensable. In the following, we will use product examples to show you where corrugated board could replace plastic. One thing is already certain: at 75 percent, the savings potential in the packaging industry is gigantic.
There are a few plastic packaging materials that are indispensable. The GVM study of 2019 lists them:
- Tubes
- Labels
- Adhesive tapes
- Disposable cutlery
- Strapping
- Bottles
- Injection molded closures
- Pallets
This list isn't that long, because the packaging industry has put a lot of thought into what sustainable packaging can look like in recent years. Here are a few of their solutions.
Detergent from the corrugated cardboard box
Liquid detergent and a sturdy plastic bottle: that's a solid combination according to most buyers. Is that also possible in corrugated board? - The packaging industry says yes - at least as a mix of materials. This solution is already familiar in the beverage market.
Some wine drinkers turned up their noses when the noble grape juice was suddenly offered in cartons with a tap. But high-quality wines are now also coming onto the market in this sustainable packaging. The wine keeps much longer than in the bottle and can be practically filled directly into the glass in portions.
Something like this is also possible for detergents or other cleaning products. The corrugated board carton houses an airtight hygienic plastic sack whose tap is clamped into a fastening device on the carton. This is not a pure corrugated board solution, but it does offer considerable plastic savings - up to 95 percent for large containers, according to VDW, the corrugated board industry association.
Sustainable packaging in the mail order business
Mail order companies are also starting to think about how they can package their goods sustainably. Hopefully, the time of huge cardboard boxes stuffed with vast amounts of bubble wrap or other plastic will soon be over. Let's start with the cardboard box.
Here, corrugated board has long been considered a classic material. This is due to its construction. If you cut it open, you will see one or more layers of a corrugated profile inside (this would also explain why corrugated board is called corrugated cardboard). This structure absorbs shocks and falls like an airbag: ideal conditions for the mail order business.
Sustainable packaging does not mean choosing a box that is as big as the shipping item. It's always about protecting the shipped item as well. The box needs to be a little bigger so you can pad out the empty space.
And now sustainable paper comes into play again: paper and corrugated cardboard padding instead of Styrofoam chips or bubble wrap. The environmentally friendly material can even be used for taping, as there is paper packing tape or wet adhesive tape.
Corrugated board even for refrigerated goods
The packaging industry is undergoing a gigantic transformation. Politics and the climate crisis are pushing the pace, and research departments are working overtime. No wonder, then, that so many creative solutions for sustainable packaging are coming onto the market. And corrugated board is very often involved.
The packaging engineers have even found corrugated board solutions for transporting refrigerated goods. Conventionally, the difficult-to-recycle foam plastic is used here. But corrugated boxes have already been developed for shipping refrigerated, frozen and non-refrigerated goods.
The carton contains several self-contained internal compartments for the different "climate zones". The cooling compartments are protected by natural fiber insulating mats and are kept at temperature with water-based cooling elements or with dry ice.
The plastic bag goes, the carrying box comes
The plastic bag has now become unpopular. That's a good thing! And what about substitute products? You probably don't always have the cloth bag in your pocket when you go shopping. And the paper bag is only partially resilient and wears out quickly. But here, too, packaging engineers have brought corrugated cardboard on board.
One of their possible solutions is called Wellbag2go. This is a stable, sealable cardboard box made of corrugated board with integrated carrying aids. These can be turned upwards and end in a fixed carrying handle. In addition to the excellent recyclability compared to the plastic bag, this also has the advantage that you can transport your purchases much more neatly and thus more gently.
Fruit and vegetables: Appetizingly presented in corrugated board
Fruits and vegetables stand for healthy nutrition, freshness and regionality. So it's particularly unpleasant when, for example, a cucumber is offered completely shrink-wrapped in plastic film.
Alternative packaging made of corrugated board can save 64 percent of plastic packaging. At the same time, there are fewer pressure marks and other transport damage to the fruit and vegetables. Thirdly, the packaging design of corrugated cardboard trays allows a better view of the items and thus a better assessment of the quality.
Producers of organic goods rely on particularly ecologically valuable packaging products such as corrugated board made from grass paper.
 The time of the shrink-wrapped cucumber is over! Corrugated board can replace 64 percent plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables. |
Sustainable packaging: Why is corrugated board so eco?
Corrugated board is a true all-rounder. Not only does it have no environmental impact,
it is also easy to shape and can also be printed in a variety of ways.
Corrugated board is a quick-change artist. It can be much more than just cardboard - for example, a stable bottle carrier, even for heavier water bottles. Even liquids can be transported in environmentally friendly coated corrugated containers.
Corrugated board is a perfect recycled product
Let's take another look at the sustainability of corrugated board. What makes this versatile material so environmentally friendly? - Corrugated board is a product made entirely from renewable raw materials.
And no - trees don't die for corrugated board either. It consists of 20 percent broken and thinned wood from sustainably managed forests. And the remaining 80 percent is made up of recycled material, i.e. waste paper.
Even the adhesive used to bond the corrugated board sheets can be returned to the material cycle without any problems, as it is based on corn, wheat or potato starch. As you can see, corrugated board is a perfect recycling product.
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This eco-balance is something to be proud of. Made from 80 percent waste paper and 20 percent broken and thinned wood: corrugated board is a perfect closed-loop product. |
Corrugated board versus plastic: the advantages
Crude oil and natural gas - these are the basic materials from which plastic is created. Every concerned inhabitant of this planet knows: these are not renewable raw materials - and they are not CO2-neutral either.
The "green" advantages of corrugated board over plastic, on the other hand, cannot be dismissed, because corrugated board
- is made from renewable raw materials
- can be returned one hundred percent to the material cycle
- is fully compostable.
These advantages are joined by several others: Yes, plastic can also be printed - but with corrugated board, this is done with environmentally friendly inks. And the adhesives used to assemble corrugated board - natural glue containing starch - do not pose a threat to the environment either. In addition, corrugated board is extremely stable and is the safer solution for many transport and packaging tasks.
How much CO2 can be saved by corrugated board?
The University of Freiburg has launched a long-standing study on the ecology of packaging under the name "Circulus". Here is a concrete example from the research results: The eco-balance of a 500-gram fruit basket - once made of plastic, once made of corrugated cardboard - was compared. The corrugated board solution saves 34 percent CO2 compared to the plastic version!
Conclusion: Can corrugated board packaging be used multiple times?
Sustainable packaging also means using packaging several times. This is no problem with sturdy corrugated board. Solid cardboard boxes, fruit crates or sales crates in stores and supermarkets can be refilled several times without any problems before they are returned to the 100 percent recyclable material cycle.
